B Movies Blog

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping Anthony DiBlasi’s Malum into the ol’ VCR. 

For those who don’t know, Malum is a remake of Anthony DiBlasi’s movie, Last Shift. And, I’m not going to bury the lede: I wasn’t a huge fan of Malum, and that means it’s time for my world famous disclaimer before we get started: 

The great thing about movies is that we can discuss and debate them. Just because I think a movie is great doesn’t make it a good movie, and just because I think a movie is awful doesn’t make it a bad movie. Also, making a movie is extremely difficult and incredibly badass, and I don’t want to detract from the process. I also applaud the crew for making this movie on such a small budget. Seriously, it’s incredible. 

With the disclaimer out of the way, let’s get started. 

Malum’s biggest problem lies within its plot. The ambiguous charm of Last Shift is lost, as we’re given way too much background information. Unlike its predecessor, Malum fully dives into the background of the Loren family and the cult. This plethora of information leads to a predictable twist in how the two families are interwoven. 

Whenever a movie opens in a cemetery, you know it’s bad news for everyone.

In Last Shift, we’re given enough information to pique our interest and suspend our disbelief. In Malum, we’re given so much information, I was basically rolling my eyes in the movie theater. Sometimes, less is better, and this is the case here. It would be like remaking The Autopsy of Jane Doe and telling us exactly why the body was cursed and giving us an in-depth account of the curse. It spoils the fun. 

Another issue I take with the film is the faulty premise. In Malum, Officer Loren requests the last graveyard shift at the station to find out what happened to her father. However, in Last Shift, she’s given this watch with a purpose — waste management is coming. I think having Officer Loren ask for the shift is a bit too convenient. I can see the angle of her being “called” to take this shift, but it doesn’t quite work. 

My last big grievance comes with the reworking of Officer Price. In Last Shift, Officer Price helps Officer Loren before she discovers he was actually killed during the Paymon family raid. In Malum, Officer Price’s character is taken from a guy who would adopt another dog from the shelter because it made eye contact to the kind of guy who would say, “I’m a feminist” then take a long swig of his IPA and follow it up with a “but..” and something incredibly sexist. Officer Price was a friendly face in a sea of darkness, and it makes the reveal in Last Shift all the more effective. 

When I see this screenshot, all I can think about is how I accidentally dropped popcorn in my socks during this scene.

Like with most movies, there are things I did like in Malum. I loved how the color scheme mimicked that of It Follows. It’s dark and urban, and I think it sets the tone well. I also really appreciated the special and practical effects. The demons looked like Cenobites and Deadites by the way of GWAR, and I mean that in the best way. The peeps who have been in GWAR over the years are extremely talented. 

I also really want to highlight Natalie Victoria’s character, Marigold the sex worker. She vaguely looks like Catherine O’Hara, and she attended the Mia Goth School of Crying and Monologuing Directly Into Camera. She’s over the top, but it’s highly enjoyable, almost like a much more reserved version of Desiree Gould in Sleepaway Camp. She also has one of the best lines in the entire movie, “I’d bet my tits and a pack of cigarettes.” 

Chaney Morrow as John Malum is also great, and he reminds me of Crispin Glover lite. This iteration is more refined than his predecessor, but Malum embodies the 70s cult leader we’re familiar with. There’s something intriguing about him, whereas Joshua Mikel’s John Michael Paymon and co in Last Shift read more Rob Zombie. Both actors are brilliant, but John Malum is a bit more frightening, as his evil isn’t as visible. 

The only thing scarier than being stalked by a cult in an abandoned building is having to answer a phone call.

Lastly, Jessica Sula absolutely nails it as Officer Jessica Loren. She’s been in both Scream: The TV Series and Panic, but I’d love to see her in as the lead in more horror content. I think, if she wants it, she has a place as an up-and-coming Scream Queen in her future. 

With such good and strong source material, it’s hard not to compare Malum to Last Shift. As I mentioned in my disclaimer, I do sincerely believe everyone who worked on this movie deserves kudos. But, in the immortal words of Neve Campbell in Scream 4, “Don’t fuck with the original.”